Redefining Workplace Sustainability: Mental Health

All of us might have different reactions when we hear the word sustainability. You might think about recycling or eco-friendly shopping, you might even feel guilt over inaction or pride in your individual contribution? What about when you hear the term ‘workplace sustainability’? Does this make you think about switching off lights and avoiding the printer? The reality is that workplace sustainability is about much more than just protecting the planet, important as that is. It is an integrated concept that has societal implications that companies will need to embrace to succeed. In this series we will be examining the overall idea of workplace sustainability and how we can all do our part to contribute. To kick things off, let’s take a look at what we mean when we talk about sustainability in the workplace …

Defining Meaning

Quite understandably, sustainability is a word that has been co-opted by the ‘green’ industry and is indelibly linked to this global movement.But there has been a substantial shift in the way in which we measure beneficial sustainability for all. “Sustainability can be defined as the ability to maintain healthy environmental, social and economic systems in balance”, these three elements are more commonly known as planet, people and profits and by facilitating their sustained development on both local and global levels, it is humankind that will benefit. For the modern workplace, this concept breaks down into their responsibility to protect the future of the planet through eco-friendly initiatives, to secure the future of economic growth through sustainable business practices and strategic vision and to safeguard the future of their greatest asset, their people, through support and engagement. The US Department of Labor, summarised it well, “Sustainable organizations strive to balance the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit to achieve long-term success and viability. This means that organizations cannot be sustainable without protecting the safety, health, and welfare of their most vital resource: workers. Sustainability is not just about what is done, but how it gets done. It is a mindset that requires leadership; not settling for second best in any aspect of operations; setting and achieving goals beyond regulatory compliance.”

Employee Mental Health

One of the first aspects of workplace sustainability we wanted to look at was employee mental health. As well as being vital to supporting your team, since World Mental Health Day was on 10^th October, it seemed a good jumping off point. For 2021, EER has made employee wellness a key part of our strategic goals. Without the dedication, passion and tenacity of our staff, we would never have been able to weather the challenges of the pandemic. It underlined how crucial our people are to how we perform as a company and our future prospects. More and more organisations are recognising how vital it is to protect your employees and that by encouraging an environment of positive mental health, you can actually improve productivity and bottom-line results. Recent studies have shown that supporting good mental health can reduce absenteeism, increase employee retention and decrease health care insurance costs.

Cultural Impact

So, what can you do to improve employee mental health in your organisation? There are a series of key steps that you can implement relatively seamlessly that could have a big impact. Here are some of the things to consider that could work in your company.

Communicate well. When employees work in an environment where effective internal communication is prioritised they feel more comfortable and engaged. With all the recent challenges, this factor is even more important for providing security and stability.

Lead by example. When managers and senior leadership model proactive and positive behaviour in the workplace, the employees will trust in the initiatives and respond in kind. If you are encouraging things like taking breaks, getting fresh air and group discussions, you need to make sure that this is being projected from the top down.

Promote inclusivity. It is also important to ensure that the atmosphere at work is one of inclusivity.  You need to make sure that every member of the team feels valued and understands that they will be heard when they speak up. This will promote confidence and encourage individuals to participate more, which could result in some fresh ideas or useful perspectives.

Include wellness programmes. Weaving wellness elements into your office environment can have a powerful impact on performance. Consider ways in which you can help employees be healthier in mind and body, which will build loyalty and commitment within your organisation. At EER we have had a busy year in terms of employee wellness with new initiatives like walk & talks, yoga sessions, in-house training, health-focused competitions and more.

Ultimately there is a lot more to workplace sustainability than you might have previously thought and by incorporating more of its elements into your strategy, you can benefit the entire organisation. Stay tuned for our next sustainability series update by following us on our social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.